Pages

7/23/2010

August Herschels (Catch Up now)

You can see I have entered some notes here. I've marked some as viewed and the date I viewed them. I accepted awhile ago that with my goal of sketching each of these items this would mean at least a two year project. While, August holds 14 objects for me to capture so hopefully the monsoon is going to be done for the new moon cycle next month. That, and it gets harder since I go back to work. I approach my job this way as an educator. I am prepared to teach my students based on their learning styles and needs. I work very hard at what I do, and I feel that I am very good at it (and this is cocky but if I dedicate myself professionally, I am very good to outstanding at what I do). However, I leave work by 5:00p.m. each day committed to have a life. When I was in business I lived to work, and though I was rewarded handsomely for it, it wasn't worth what I lost. That is why I keep a picture of my daughter at age 8 on my desk. She changed that as daughters can at the airport one day when she asked if I loved my job more than her, with tears welling up in her bright blue eyes. That has haunted me since that day and though not perfect, I live my life now, and my job is that, my job, my profession. I work hard at it, dedicate myself to furthering my education and knowledge and applying it, and I know I make a difference. How does that relate to astronomy? Because observing even when I'm working is something I continue to do as it relaxes and rejuvenates me. See, if I stay out late one night because it is in the new moon area and conditions are great, I am (have always been able to) function the next day and then I can leave at around 3:45p.m., come home and take a nap. It means I have the best of all worlds for me. It also helps to live only 45 minutes from SQM 21.5 to 22.3 skies, blue to gray on the LP maps (the new ones).

So back to the topic. Sorry, I'm in a reflected mood of late. You can see that I'll start having months where about half of the objects or more have been viewed. Then April and May AND June will come when I only got five or six objects in due to the weather. Ughh . . . I hope the weather cooperates more this year.

I will be posing over the next several days my original sketches so people can compare and contrast them. In the future I'll still make my digital sketch but will post the original next to it. That is probably more for me as I realized that this will allow me to see what I like and dislike about each, and what techniques I can transfer from one skill to another. I also hope to get some double star work in and perhaps some lunar before heading back the the Herschels and the DSO's! Clears skies and good working equipment to all of you!

5 comments:

I decided a long time ago that I would never just 'live to work' which is one reason that I have ended up as a temp or doing retail work. I don't like retail and tend to avoid it where possible, but I do like temping, although sometimes I get fed up with the occasionally hit-and-miss nature of the contracts which makes planning ahead awkward. My sister, on the other hand, lives to work and is totally career-focussed and dominated, as is her current boyfriend, and I don't think that it is a coincidence that both are divorced and do not have custody of their respective kids. Neither do they have any hobbies. I have a lot less money than they do, but I think I have a more interesting, happier life.

I hope your weather stays clear. Ours is pretty unsettled at the moment, typically as the longer nights are coming back, with weak Atlantic lows crossing the country.

Took a shot at copying one of your sketches from 14 July. I used Corel Paintshop Pro. Everything turned out pretty good except in my version of the galaxy lacks the accuracy of yours, but heck, it's my first try. Thanks for the help in providing your methodology. Ranny

Money is useful and I was fortunate through stock options while being an executive for a technology company during the tech boom in the late 1990's and early 2000's to make some money that way. I sold before they went south. Now I make a 1/3 of what I use to and to be honest, I don't miss it. As I said, my time is far more valuable. I have never driven fancy cars (save 1) as most of mine are used and older. For example, I wanted a Pathfinder to haul my stuff, I bought a 2002 with 80,000 miles. I'll get over 200,000 miles on it and I paid cash for it. Cash makes no enemies and doesn't draw interest. The only thing I'll go into debt for is my education and a home.

Ranny,

Wonderful! Could I see a link to it (I load all my stuff into Photobucket cause I've had the account forever and its free). I'm sure it looks great. Go look at my Photobucket account (on the right in the links) and see how bad my sketches were . . . at least I can say I'm improving a little.